Joking with clients and colleagues, Mehrunnisha Shokat Ali might be mistaken for any other patron of the Social watering hole in the Indian capital's swanky Hauz Khas neighbourhood.
But the intent gaze of her kohl-rimmed eyes, as she stands with arms folded on the edge of the dancefloor in an all-black outfit, watching couples bob and twirl to the music, gives away her real occupation.
She is Social's famous female bouncer.
Mehrunnisha has been a bouncer for nearly a decade, and for the last three years, has done 10-hour night shifts at Social, which functions as a restaurant and co-working space seating 220 people by day, but morphs into a packed club at night.
Now Mehrunnisha is expert in breaking up bar fights, frisking female customers, and uncovering illegal drugs.
"We decided to employ women to make sure that women customers too felt safe, and we found a great match in Mehrunnisha," said Social's owner Riyaaz Amlani, who says she helped has defuse innumerable alcohol-fuelled quarrels.
"She was fierce and determined, and the rest is history."
The 30-year-old's career highlights include being part of the security detail for Bollywood actresses such as Priyanka Chopra, the star of the U.S. television drama series "Quantico", Preity Zinta and Vidya Balan.
Mehrunnisha is no stranger to smashing stereotypes.
Growing up in a large Muslim family in the northern farming town of Saharanpur, 200 km (124 miles) from Delhi, she dreamed of joining the army or becoming a police officer, but her deeply conservative father opposed the idea.
Only her mother's insistence allowed her to further her education beyond primary school.
But when her father's stock market losses forced the family to move to the capital, Mehrunnisha, still in college, became the breadwinner for a household consisting of parents, two sisters, and her elder sister's three children, besides herself.
"Several times my brother has asked me, what sort of a job is this?" Mehrunnisha said during a shopping expedition to prepare for Eid al-Fitr, which ends the holy month of Ramadan, recounting how difficult it had been to get her family to accept her night shifts.
"But this does not affect me, because my mother and father have faith and confidence in me, and I know I am not doing anything wrong."
Her younger sister, Tarannum, 27, also works as a bouncer at a bar just a 5-minute walk away from her own workplace. Together, they earn 30,000 rupees ($465) a month.
They take immense pride in their vocation, spending up to an hour at the gym each day to build their strength, and even working through holidays.
"I am very proud of what I do, it's not an easy job," Mehrunnisha said. "Taking care of people, especially women in a club, is a very big responsibility."
Customers seem to agree.
"If I come here and I see a female bouncer, I feel a lot safer," said one regular patron at Social, Nikita Lamba.
"Mehrunnisha is pretty kick-ass. She is good at what she does".
Reuters
Fri Jul 14 2017
Bouncer Mehrunnisha Shokat Ali offers her evening prayer during holy month of Ramadan at her house in New Delhi, India, May 31, 2017. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
KKM kekal keputusan pinda Akta Perubatan 1971
KKM kekal dengan keputusan untuk meminda Akta 50 bagi menangani jurang antara PPP dan Program Sarjana Perubatan tempatan biarpun mendapat bantahan sesetengah pihak.
Malaysia-China bincang perkukuh kerjasama sektor pendidikan tinggi
Sempena sambutan Ulang Tahun ke-50 Hubungan Diplomatik, Malaysia dan China bincang inisiatif strategik perluas dan perkukuh jalinan kerjasama sektor pendidikan tinggi.
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Semua delegasi diminta pulang, FFC akan maklumkan tarikh baharu misi
Freedom Flotilla Coalition tidak dapat meneruskan misi penghantaran bantuan ke Gaza untuk kali ini.
Biden rancang untuk berdebat dengan Trump
Sebelum ini, Biden tidak komited untuk berdebat dengan lawannya, Trump.
Pesta Kaamatan 2024 dilancar pada 1 Mei di Ranau, Sabah
Sambutan perayaan Pesta Kaamatan 2024 akan dilancarkan pada 1 Mei di Ranau dan diadakan sambutan di peringkat daerah, di Sarawak dan Semenanjung.
Khairulnizam layak ke Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024
Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy sah akan mengiringi Nur Shazrin Mohd Latif ke Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024, juga merupakan penampilan keempat berturut-turut di temasya berprestij itu.
Musibah banjir buka peluang 'rezeki lebih' usahawan F&B melalui IPR
Musibah banjir yang melanda Johor tahun lepas membuka peluang rezeki baharu kepada usahawan makanan dan minuman, Haida Abdul Rahman.
Mohd Azizulhasni tekad dikalungkan pingat emas di Paris
Azizulhasni tekad untuk 'dikalungkan' pingat emas pertama Malaysia di Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 pada penampilan terakhirnya di temasya itu.
USM cipta rekod hasilkan kaligrafi Cina 2.68km
Penuntut USM cipta rekod dalam MBOR apabila menghasilkan penulisan kaligrafi Cina sepanjang 2.68 kilometer.
MITRA sudah belanja RM40 juta daripada peruntukan RM100 juta tahun ini
Sebanyak RM40 juta daripada peruntukan RM100 juta yang disalurkan kerajaan tahun ini kepada MITRA telah dimanfaatkan untuk pelbagai program.
'Bouncer' didakwa bakar, bunuh isteri
Seorang pengawal kelab hiburan atau 'bouncer' dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Majistret Seri Manjung atas tuduhan membunuh isterinya.
'Bouncer' didakwa bunuh remaja
Seorang 'bouncer' atau pengawal sebuah pusat hiburan di sini, dihadapkan di Mahkamah Majistret hari ini terhadap pertuduhan membunuh seorang remaja lebih seminggu lalu.
Kaki pukul ditahan ekoran kematian warga Arab
Tiga orang 'bouncer' atau kaki pukul ditahan di sebuah pusat hiburan sejurus penemuan mayat seorang warga Arab Saudi di dalam sebuah kenderaan di sini malam tadi.